


Family al Fresco

by NadiaHart, TrickyJerseyGirl



Series: How to Make a Family [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Adorable, Adorkable, Angel Castiel, Angel Family, Angels, Archangel Gabriel (Supernatural), Beaches, Castiel and Gabriel (Supernatural) are Siblings, Cute, Cutesy, Domestic Fluff, Dork Castiel, Drunk Castiel, F/M, Family Fluff, Feel-good, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, GET your fluff here, Gabriel Lives, Gabriel is a Little Shit, Gabriel is a Softie, IT'S CUTE WE SWEAR, Italy, Naive Castiel, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, SO MUCH FLUFF, Sassy Gabriel, Super Cute good time fluff, Swimming, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wine, adorable angels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 17:32:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8762467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NadiaHart/pseuds/NadiaHart, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrickyJerseyGirl/pseuds/TrickyJerseyGirl
Summary: “Family bonding Cassie, it's all the rage now” Gabriel had said. Today Castiel found himself on a beach in Sicily in midsummer wearing what Gabriel had assured him was an appropriate outfit for this activity called swimming. Gabriel had since made it his mission to find out about all of the human experiences Castiel had yet to take part in and remedy his apparent “serious lack of fun times.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> This work is part of a series, while they can be read out of order Tricky and I think you'd get more of the picture if you started at the beginning. <3

Castiel stood bare from the waist up in the balmy southern Italy air. His hands on his hips, he stared down at the outfit his brother had chosen for him. He wasn't exactly frowning but he wasn't smiling either. With the success of their last two “family bonding” encounters, Gabriel had suddenly become obsessed with the idea. 

“Family bonding Cassie, it's all the rage now” he had said. Today Castiel found himself on a beach in Sicily in midsummer wearing what Gabriel had assured him was an appropriate outfit for this activity called swimming. Gabriel had since made it his mission to find out about all of the human experiences Castiel had yet to take part in and remedy his apparent “serious lack of fun times.” 

“Gabriel,” Castiel's protested again. “I still do not understand why this activity must be completed half nude. Also, why Sicily? There must have been closer water sources to accomplish this task.”

“Do they look like this?” Gabriel spread his arms wide, indicating the spectacular Mediterranean landscape. “Plus I like pebbled beaches. No sand in uncomfortable places. Gorgeous, warm, clear blue water. And we can see the volcano at night. It’s like Dad’s own fireworks. There’s wine, olives, seafood, the best capers in the world, and most of the women go topless. Your argument is invalid, bro.” 

“I just don’t see the point in all of this…” Castiel studied his brother, watching him speak about this particular part of the world with such fondness. He looked around again, tried to really see this time. It was lovely, and the pebbles were warm under his bare feet, and the water did look to be an inviting shade of teal. “I guess, though, since we are already here…”

“With that kind of enthusiasm, it’s amazing you haven’t exploded. Again. Come on. There are moon fish. You remember those. You always liked those.” Gabriel began wading into the water, beckoning his brother to follow. 

With an animated eye roll Castiel's slumped to the water’s edge, hesitantly eyeing the surf. 

“Gabriel…” He let the first crest of warm water wash over his toes. A pleasing shiver raced up his spine. “Gabriel, could we, maybe, just go over, the theory, behind this activity, just once more?” Castiel's fixed his eyes on the surf. It was licking over his ankles now beckoning him deeper. A cold sense of apprehension settled in his chest.

Gabriel was already in up to his waist. “Water is life, brother. Without this stuff, nothing on Dad’s science project would survive. This salty stuff is the blood of this planet. And it feels amazing. Floating in it is like flying while still wrapped in your own wings. Warm, and comforting, and you can still have your feet off the ground. That’s another reason I took you here. The bay is protected. No rough surf. Don’t want to drown my baby brother on his first marine outing. Keep walking, Castiel. We’d have to go much farther for it to be over your head, and I’d snap you back to shore before that happened.”

Castile's narrowed his gaze skeptically at his brother. The shorter Angel waved merrily at him from a few yards out. Going over all of the steps Gabriel had told him in preparation for this adventure, Castiel's took four hulking steps out into the surf. His feet lifting and falling awkwardly with loud thunking splashes. Gabriel was right, the water was warm and comforting and he resisted the urge to smile. Instead, he took a deep breath, puffing out his cheeks and lifting his arms above his head. In his minimal research, this was the pose humans most often took before diving into the water. Flexing his knees, he leapt up from his toes like he had seen the divers do on Youtube, and smacked hard into the surface of the water. 

The air rushed out of his mouth as he floundered arms flailing, his eyes popping open and the salt of the ocean assaulted his senses. Sputtering and spitting, his legs kicked and the ground scraped under his heels. He surfaced, drawing in the tang of ocean salt along his tongues and lips. He was out up to his chest now and he wasn't feeling relaxed or comforted at all. Everything stung, his palms came up to rub over his face and he let out a long disgruntled cry. 

“Not your finest moment,” he heard Gabriel say as the archangel swam smoothly over. “And, all right, fine, if I’m honest, perhaps not mine either. Big brother is here.” Gabriel wrapped an arm around Castiel’s shoulders and snapped his fingers. 

“My research lead me to believe this was going to be far easier then I obviously anticipated.” Castile spluttered. 

Gabriel had snapped them to the shore and was wrapping a fluffy green towel around his shoulders. They were sitting under a large umbrella and Gabriel had shoved a cold bottle of water into his hand. Castiel's watched the small children down the beach run screaming and laughing in and out of the water. He frowned so hard it prompted his brother to warn him that his face might get stuck like that. He surged up suddenly the towel dropping from his shoulders and marched to the water’s edge again.

 

“Come on Gabriel, let's try again.” This time Castiel was determined to watch his brother approach the water, observe how to do this correctly, find his errors and fix them. He would not fail in this “family bonding experience,” even if it killed him, which was highly unlikely. He stared at the water like it had personally offended him.

“OK, ok, slow down.” Gabriel stopped him before Castiel could throw himself into the water. “Wade, Cas. Wade in. Just enjoy it, inch by inch. The tide is out and it’s yards before the water is really even deep enough to swim. You didn’t see me try to Nestea plunge, did you? I just walked into the water, nice and easy.”

This time was different. He watched Gabriel move slowly into the water. The other angel didn't try to fight it by lifting his feet clear of the surface; he glided, slowly letting the water take his weight, letting his arms fan out over the surface as be moved farther out. Castiel nodded to himself as he mirrored his brother’s actions. He felt light. At ease, his toes skimmed along the rounded pebbles on the ocean floor, propelling him forward. This was nice, it was like flying. Castiel had been so busy trying to fight the water that he had missed the whole point of it. He relaxed letting his head tip back as the ocean lifted him. 

“Wow.”

Gabriel grinned at him. “See? What’d I tell you? When have I ever steered you wrong? Okay, don’t answer that. When I have steered you wrong _recently_?”

Castiel chose not to answer either question. “This is quite nice,” he mused instead.

“Gigi brought me here,” Gabriel said, floating next to his brother. “I was more interested in the Roman Empire part of Italy’s history, though I did enjoy it when they elected a porn queen to help run the country. But other than popping in occasionally to eat and drink my way through Tuscany, I didn’t come south much. She went to the Aeolian Islands one summer when she was in college and fell for the place. Once I saw it, I understood why.”

Castiel ran his arms back and forth through the water, enjoying the way the motion propelled his body, much like his wings did, through the air. “Tia must be very special to you, this is the second location you have brought me, that directly correlates to your life with her.” 

Castiel propelled himself in a little circle, trying out the feeling of kicking his legs along with moving his arms. He floated on his back watching the white puffy clouds changing shape across the cerulean sky.

“She is,” Gabriel said. “I knew almost from the beginning. Kinda scared the hell out of me, to be honest.”

“You know Gabriel, it would be alright with me if you wanted to bring your hunter along on our 'bonding trips’. “ Castiel lifted his arms up crooking his fingers around the phrase. “I do think, though, that maybe I would like to choose the next adventure we go on.” 

“Disney World?” Gabriel teased. “I think my choices have been pretty good so far.” 

Castiel hummed softly in agreement. “Yes, I’m not complaining. However.” Castiel lifted his head from the water to glance down at his bare chest. “I’m changing colors and I do not know how I feel about this.” 

Gabriel stood up in the water and looked at his brother. “What did you do with that plastic bottle I handed you, that I told you to put on?”

“I do not recall.”

“Your vessel is getting sunburn, dingus,” Gabriel said. “That bottle was to prevent that. Do I look pink to you?”

Castiel brought his feet down to the ocean floor and turned to face his brother. “You always look slightly golden, Gabriel,” he said his head cocking to one side slightly. He looked around the beach, licking over his chapped lips and tasting salt. He lifted his hands out of the water and examined them “Also am shriveling. I think I may be dehydrated.” He lifted his pruned fingers out to his brother “Are these all normal occurrences during a beach day?”

“Not when you use sunscreen. Don’t worry about the pruning. It goes away pretty fast.” He touched his fingers to his brother’s forehead. “There. Nice and golden. But let’s get you out of the water. The suns heading down now anyway” He snapped his fingers.

  
  


Castiel found himself on a balcony overlooking the water. He was wrapped in a plush robe and there was a table before him, laden with _antipasti_ , a pitcher of cold, fruit-infused water, and a large bottle of wine. He blinked at the spread; his body felt clean, he was dry, the robe was warm and the soft cotton pants he was suddenly wearing chased away the chill from the cooling evening air. The stars and moon were already visible through the pinks and oranges of the setting sun in the clear sky.

Castiel reached out and selected a plump looking slice of pineapple and slipped it between his lips. It was the perfect treat after spending the day in the sun and salt. He wondered briefly the last time Sam or Dean had taken time off to enjoy the word. It was clear that Gabriel and Tia did it quite often. Castiel hummed softly as he plucked another piece of fruit, deciding then and there that he would take the brothers someplace nice. 

He looked away from the vista and towards where his brother was just entering the balcony. Maybe he would run the idea past Gabriel. Get his advice on where to take the Winchesters … though Castiel was suddenly partial to this beach. Yes, he could absolutely understand why Tia and Gabriel favored it.

“We don’t, necessarily,” Gabriel said as he sat down on another lounge and poured both of them some time. “Favor the beach, I mean. Gigi loves the mountains, too, and we both have a soft spot for ruins. Right now, I think Bali and the Black Forest in Romania are her two favorites.” 

“Gabriel, I think it's rather nice you and Tia take trips, I was thinking maybe I would surprise Dean and Sam with one, do you have any thoughts on it … also, I know it is one of your special talents, but please refrain from reading my thoughts.” Castiel took the proffered glass of wine from his brother.

“Passito,” Gabriel said. “Tastes like honey, figs, and marmalade.” He sipped his own wine. “Which reminds me to bring a few bottles home. Anyway, I like your thinking but I’m not sure how you’ll manage it. It’s easy with Gigi because teleporting doesn’t bother her. We can get away anytime and be back wherever she needs to be, whenever she needs to be there. She’s a hunter; the job comes first. She’s as addicted to it as the knuckleheads are, and as passionate. The longest we ever spent anywhere was two weeks, and that was only because she had a broken leg from a serious spell. All I could do was speed the healing, and by the end of the second week, she was gnawing at the bit.”

Castiel sipped the wine. It was pleasant and sweet. He sighed at the lingering flavor of honey on his tongue. He would be eternally grateful to his brother for altering the food so he could enjoy it with him. 

“Dean does not enjoy being ported places,” said Castiel, his eyes lingering over the plate of antipasti. “I also do not think either man has ever taken a break or would know what to do with one if they had. It almost makes me want to take them even more. Does that make sense?” he reached out and plucked a piece of meat from the platter. He brought it to his nose and gave it a sniff before popping it into his mouth. “Is this pepperoni? Dean and Sam love pepperoni on pizza.”

“Soppresatta,” Gabriel said. “Pepperoni is American. This is fattier and way tastier. Maybe you should just take the Winchesters to a restaurant without a drive through.”

“A restaurant?” Castiel asked a small frown coming over his features. “ Why can I only take my hunters to a restaurant and you get to take yours to the south of Italy?” he grumbled, popping a very large piece of Mozzarella cheese into his mouth next. “I think given the option Sam at least would enjoy this place and Dean I am certain would rather like the food….” He knew he was being petulant but for some reason Gabriel's approval of how Castiel treated his hunters was, suddenly, important.

Gabriel chuckled. “Relax, bro. I just mean ease them into it. Geeg hunts internationally; she always has. So she’d been a fair few places long before I came along to whisk her away with a snap. That said, I know she used to cook for them, and apparently they were big on French stews and Spanish meats. If you can get them to go for it, take them to the Basque region. It’s got both. They can eat their way through the whole place.”

“Really? I rather thought they would go more for Italian, though, I may be biased, given my current arrangement.” He gestured to the food and drank deeply from his glass. 

“Well, you can’t really go wrong with Italian food, it’s true. Which reminds me. Gimme a sec.” Gabriel reached into the pocket of his robe, pulled out a phone, and made a call. “Hey, sexy. Miss me?...The Aeolian Islands. I brought Cassie....no. I won’t forget the wine...or the salsicce...right, yes, olive and capers...baccala, really?...Oh for Dad’s sake.” He dropped the phone and snapped his fingers, resulting in a slightly confused Tia, with a piece of a gun in her hand, appearing on the balcony.

Castiel blinked slightly startled “Tia,” he rumbled in greeting, tipping his wine glass in her direction. 

“ _Buona sera_ ,” she smiled, leaning down to kiss him on both cheeks. She turned to Gabriel but, instead of giving him a kiss, she smacked him upside his head. “I was in the middle of something.”

He responded by grabbing her hand and pulling her into his lap. “And now you’re not. The rest of the gun will still be there when you get back. Eat. Clearly, you’re hungry.” He snapped a glass of wine into her hand.

Tia sipped the wine, eyes closed in happiness. “You are forgiven but only because there is passito.” She reached for some fresh figs. “How was the ocean, Cas?”

Castiel shifted in his chair. “Why is everyone calling me that now…” he grumbled softly to himself. Maybe it was a hunter thing, he thought, or maybe hunters were lazy. Not that he really minded the nickname but it had used to be something only the Winchesters had called him. He shrugged his thoughts away. He let the chair cradle him as he signed. Wine in one hand, he lifted his free hand and scraped his nails along his scalp, letting the strands of his hair slide through his fingers. 

“Needless to say, it was interesting.” He swirled his wine around absently while he thought about the events of the day. “After one gets over the initial urge to fight the water it's rather nice really. Much like flying.” He was looking out over the balcony again, listening to the wave roll against the beach. “I still don't really understand why it has to be done in such little clothing though.” He swung his gaze back to Tia “Gabriel insisted that the attire was appropriate, if small.” He paused again lifting another slice of pineapple “I am thinking of picking up a few more pairs now that the initial shock has worn off. What did you call them Gabriel?”

“Speedos!” Gabriel said happily. “That’s the spirit, Cassie! Everybody loves a nice speedo.”

Tia rolled her eyes and said to Castiel, “The first time he snapped me to a beach, I felt like I was wearing two band-aids and some strategic string. I threatened to drown him unless he covered me up.”

“You wouldn’t have drowned me,” Gabriel scoffed. “For one thing, you think I am way too hot to kill. We were in Brazil. I wanted you to blend.”

Castiel felt his cheeks warming with embarrassment he turned to Tia. “Should I assume that I was in fact inappropriately dressed and that the attire would not make suitable gifts for Sam and Dean? I was also thinking of bringing them back some of this Soppresatta.” He picked up a chunk from the still-laden platter and chewed it appreciatively.

“On an Italian beach, you were very appropriately dressed. But somehow I doubt the boys will…”

“Ever be able to thank you enough for such a kind and wonderful gift,” Gabriel smoothly interrupted, his hand over Tia’s mouth. “Yes, Cassie, get them a couple of speedos. Really brightly colored ones. Those are the most authentic. And make sure you wear yours so they don’t feel embarrassed about trying theirs on. Camaraderie, bro. Humans love that. Ow, stop biting me, Gigi.” He took his hand off her mouth, blissfully ignoring her narrow-eyed look. 

Castiel eyed them both for a few moments before nodding. “If you're sure.” He said absently running his hand over the fluffy lapel of the robe he was wearing. “I think Sam would like one of these maybe…” he commented as he finished off his wine, setting the glass down on the table where Gabriel refilled it for him. “Gabriel, I wonder if perhaps I have had enough wi…”

“Never,” Gabriel insisted. “And Gigi has to catch up. It’s rude to make her drink alone. Very rude.”

“I couldn't agree more. Forgive my rashness Tia, I must confess I am not used to such little alcohol affecting me, I believe I am feeling a bit warm from it. Whatever Gabriel is doing that allows me to enjoy the food we have been eating must also make me susceptible to the effects of drink.” Castiel lifted his glass and gently clinked it against hers “I am told this is customary to do when drinking with someone.” He smiled at himself for remembering.

“ _Salute_ ,” Tia said, then, to Gabriel, “How much has he had?”

“A few glasses,” Gabriel said. 

“And how much food?” she asked.

“A few bites.” he answered.

Tia reached for the bottle and read the label. “Gabriel, this is _amarone_. It’s 17.5% alcohol!”

The archangel grinned. “I know.”

They both turned when they heard an odd sound. Castiel was - had drained his wine glass and was letting it sway slightly between his fingers as he hummed softly. He put the glass down and started pouring a fresh glass, his humming intensified slightly as he lifted the glass and gazed out to the water again. 

'Is...is that…”

“Black Dog, yup.”

“By Zeppelin? Tia interjected

“The one and only.” Gabriel laughed, as Castiel made a bopping motion with his head, the wine glass tipping precariously in his fingers. “He’s loaded!” 

“ _Vous êtes une mauvaise influence_ ,” she scolded, pouring a large glass of water.

“ _Je ne suis pas!_ ” he protested.

Tia took the wine glass from Castiel’s hand and replaced it with the water. “Here, honey, you drink that down. Slowly.” She turned back to Gabriel and whispered, “Can Angels vomit?”

“I think we might find out.” Gabriel was still smiling. 

“Honestly, I can hear you.” Castiel grumbled putting the water glass down and retrieving his wine glass again. “2500 years old and I can’t even enjoy myself, one time, on the coast of southern Italy.” His voice ws a low rumble and he refused to meet either Tia or Gabriel's eyes. Just as he raised the glass to his lips again, his eyes went wide and he sprang up from his seat, the chair falling over backward to the floor behind him. 

“Dean…” he muttered setting the glass down and looking to his brother apologetically. “ I’m sorry I have to go...” Castiel was confused, torn, between his desire to stay and enjoy his night with his brother and Tia and to go to the Winchesters aid. 

He took a few steps towards the suite swooned slightly and rolled his eyes. “Forgive me Tia, we will have to do this again when I have more time available. Where did we put my suit…” he muttered distractedly looking into the hotel room.

‘ _Cas, buddy, get your feathery butt down here_ ’ Dean's prayer echoed in Castiel's mind again. He grunted angrily and raised his hand to snap himself off the lovely balcony. ' _I'll come back for the suit_ ’ he thought 

“I’ve got you, bro,” Gabriel said. “You concentrate on remaining upright.” He snapped his brother back to the Bunker.

  
  


The second Castiel was gone, Tia reached into Gabriel’s robe pocket. “I don’t know what you’re looking for, but it’s to the left,” he smiled.

She pulled out his phone and quickly dialed. “Hey darlin', yes, it’s me and yes, your Angel is drunk as a frat boy at homecoming...Sicily….of course it was my Archangel...oh, you know I will. And he is very, very sorry.” She gave Gabriel a pointed look, then looked at the antipasti and waved her hand in a demanding gesture. Gabriel snapped his fingers and she continued, “That bag that just appeared? That’s an apology gift for you and Sam...Yes, make sure you hide those bottles good…I will… what? He’s what? He’s wearing _what_?” She covered her own mouth to stifle a laugh, but it wasn’t quite quick enough. “Now why would I be laughing… oh. Oh, my. Well, blue is your color...neon blue? Oh that ain’t right at all...yes, I will. _Bon chance_ , honey. _Bisous_ to you and Sam.”

She ended the call and stared hard at Gabriel, who affected an innocent, slightly insulted expression. “ _Quelle_?” he asked.

“Your baby brother showed up drunk, in his robe and a speedo. Hot pink, I’m told.”

Gabriel didn’t even try not to laugh. “I know. I’m a genius.”

“You’re a son of a bitch, is what you are,” she said, then couldn’t hold back her own laughter. “What I would have given to see Dean’s face…”

“I can arrange that,” Gabriel offered.

“And lose this view? Hell, no.” She leaned back against his chest, nestling in close. “You are still a terrible influence, mind.”

“On Cassie? Definitely, but he needs it,” he said. “On you? Mmmmaybe. It’s debatable. Which reminds me. You are overdressed.” He snapped his fingers.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> AS ALWASY, your comments are our life blood, we need them to survive. If you have a special brotherly bonding ideas or prompts you would like us to write out we are always happy to oblige our readers.
> 
> The next chapter that goes up will be a Destiel, it will fall in line with the plots so far but you can skip it if you'd like. No harm No foul. 
> 
> love, love, love, love, Nadia and Tricky


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